Wyrtig - Mentha pulegium

Pennyroyal Description Propagation Cultivation Harvest
Mentha pulegium	Mentha, mint Pulegium from Latin puleium or pulegium, from pulex flea (not the same as American pennyroyal, Hedeoma pulegioides, an annual that prefers dry, rocky soils.)
Common names, modern	Pennyroyal, from puliall royal, from pulex, flea, as the plant is a potent or "sovereign" insect repellent Pennyroyal in early medieval herbals
Description
Lifespan	Short-lived perennial
Cold hardiness	Z 6-9, but self-seeds well in colder areas
Size	12" H x 12" W
Habit	The smallest of the mints, the creeping form of pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium procumbens, has weak, prostrate stems from 3"to 12" long that root at each node. The upright form, Mentha pulegium erecta, has upstanding stems 8" to 12" tall.
Flower	Small reddish purple to lilac blue flower, found at nodes where leaves join stem
Fragrance	Foliage and flowers are strongly mint-scented, very clean smell
Foliage	Slightly toothed leaves, opposite one another on stem
Comments	Pennyroyal was once used as a seasoning (and for this reason was also called pudding grass), but seldom is today. It can cause a skin rash in some people. Once used as an abortifacient, pennyroyal was feared because its therapeutic dose can lead to fatal liver damage (a woman died of pennyroyal poisoning in 1997). For this reason, women who are or may be pregnant should avoid ingesting pennyroyal, whether as a seasoning or in tea. Oil of pennyroyal is highly toxic, and should never be taken internally.
Propagation
By seed	Easy from seed and from stem cuttings. Seed may be slow to germinate.
Germination temperature	68 degrees
Germination time	5-21 days
Moisture	Keep seedlings moist but not soggy; bottom watering is best
Light	Needs light to germinate, so sow on surface of moist potting soil, tent with clear plastic to keep humidity high, and place where pots are in good light
Cultivation
Soil	Pennyroyal likes a rich, moist soil that is loamy rather than clayey.
Moisture	Although pennyroyal is drought tolerant, it likes moderate watering.
Light	Sunny to part shade
Companion planting	Good companion plant as its strong scent may confuse or repel pests like cabbage moths, but ladybugs seem to like it, which is nice as they eat aphids. It is also useful as a ground cover, or between stepping stones, where it will tolerate light foot traffic
Vigor	Enthusiastic self-sower, spreading eagerly where happy
Diseases	Verticillium wilt, rust (especially if fertilized with manure), anthracnose
Pests	Spider mites, some aphids
Comments	Deadhead if self-seeding is a concern; prune after flowering to encourage plant to become bushier
Harvest
Season to bloom/bear	Flowers midsummer to early fall
Seed collection	Allow to set seed, gather in fall as seed becomes dry. Let cleaned seed dry inside on a saucer for a week or two, then store in a sealed paper envelope in dry location that doesn't freeze. Or allow to self-seed, and relocate seedlings in spring.